Hi there Flag-d
Would it be possible to slide one shaft at a time out of the short stern tube and leave it suspended between the P bracket and A frame.? Rotate the shaft, and if its still tight, you will know that the problem lies between the P bracket and A frame.? ?If the shaft is free to move, slide it back through all the way into the short stern tube and rotate the shaft in there - if its free you know that there is a misalignment between the short stern tube and the P bracket.? ?If its a misalignment between these two it will be up to you to which one you want to cut back out, either the stern tube or the P bracket.? Whichever one you choose, if it was me and say, that was where your problem was between the P bracket and stern tube, the procedure I would personally use, would be to remove the stern tube, clean it all up, making sure that the hole in the hull was a good 1/16 bigger all around, so that it was free to move and align itself.? Replace the propellor shaft through the stern tube and through the P & A brackets, making sure that its still free to move, then mask the stern tube in place on the outside of the hull with masking tape, ensuring that the prop shaft is still free to turn.? Then mix some epoxy and just pour a little bit over the top of the stern tube, the masking tape will obviously prevent the epoxy running all the way through the hull and, as it is setting, slowly turn the prop shaft.? ?This will allow the stern tube to align itself naturally, hope you can understand this and it is of some help.
Aye
John E
BLUEBIRD